1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a semi-solid mixture of fragrant components and a method of making the semi-solid mixture. More specifically, the invention relates to a mixture of fragrant components, additives, and absorbents in a gelatinous mixture and a method of making the gelatinous mixture.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fragrant mixtures of solid and liquid components are available in the form of solids, semi-solids, or liquid mixtures for adding fragrance to the air or the skin of a user. A liquid containing fragrant mixtures of compounds can be formed into a gelatinous mixture by evaporating the liquid to increase the viscosity, or by increasing the proportion of solids within the mixture to absorb the liquid portion and to form a colloidal mixture. A gelatinous mixture, also referred to as a gel mixture in the following disclosure, is a viscous mixture of components in a colloidal, semi-solid form having no free liquids. Fragrant mixtures of components having a potpourri of fragrances are heated by an external heating unit or by a candle for delivery of the fragrances into the air by evaporation. Prior known fragrance mixtures may contain components that are flammable and/or toxic, and may separate into layers if the mixtures are not agitated frequently. The prior fragrance mixtures known in the art may evaporate unevenly, providing initially rapid evaporation rates and high fragrance concentrations, with diminishing evaporation rates and low fragrance concentrations after prolonged exposures to the air of the mixtures.
Typical of the prior art are those potpourri fragrance mixtures disclosed in the following U.S. Patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,821, issued to Dobler, et al., discloses a spreadable fragrance gel including about 10% to 20% fragrance oil, and about 80% to 85% alcohol, blended with about 5% polymer to increase the viscosity of the mixture to minimize pouring from a container. The spreadable fragrance gel is designed to absorb into the skin of a user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,334, issued to Semoff, et al., discloses a transparent aqueous gel air freshener including volatile microemulsified fragrance oil, water, gelling agent, co-solvent, aversive agent and cross-linking agent. The aqueous gel composition further includes a cationically cross-linked modified polysaccharide, and the gel composition being free of visible particles and inhomogeneities. The gel composition includes color and ornamental botanical materials suspended within the gel composition, such as berries, slices of fruit, leaves, seeds, flowers, sprigs, branchlets and Queen Anne""s lace. The gel composition may be prepared by combining the components at temperatures above 40xc2x0 C., and cooling the components to about 38xc2x0 C. to about 40xc2x0 C. while adding botanical materials, to form the gel composition in a container having the desired viscosity and clarity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,847, issued to Hozumi, et al., discloses a gel-like aromatic agent incorporated into a oil-absorbent, swelling cross-linked polymer, with the aromatic component consisting of jasmine oil, citric oils, or synthetic perfume for improving the aroma in a space. The gel-like aromatic agent is formed by polymerization of a monomer component to form a cross-linked polymer possessing at least one polymerizable unsaturated group in the molecular unit for incorporation of the aromatic component in the polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,286, issued to Karp, et al., discloses a liquid potpourri solution including water, hydroxypropylcellulose, polymer of acrylic acid cross-linked with allyl ethers of pentaerythritol or allyl ethers of sucrose, and water soluble polymer encapsulated fragrance droplets. The pH of the potpourri solution is adjusted to form a liquid potpourri which releases fragrance only upon the application of heat. The potpourri solution undergoes chemical reactions upon adjustment of the pH and heating to form the required polymer matrix, which requires heating for release of fragrance.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved fragrance product that provides a semi-solid mixture of a potpourri of fragrances that releases the fragrances in a gradual, long-lasting, controlled manner without drying of the exposed layers of the mixture when exposed to the air at temperatures of about 21.1xc2x0 C. (about 70xc2x0 F.).
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an aromatic mixture in a semi-solid form that emits fragrance when exposed to air.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a containerized potpourri gel that, when exposed to air, allows fragrance to volatilize over an extended period of time.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of making a potpourri gel that contains fragrance oils dispersed throughout an aqueous gel matrix without the presence of free liquids.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of making a potpourri gel that contains fragrance oils absorbed in micro-droplets co-mingled throughout an absorbent polymer that is pourable into containers.
A fragrant potpourri semi-solid mixture is disclosed for dispensing fragrance to the air from a container, with the mixture lacking free liquids and being pourable into or out of the container without heating of the mixture. Also, a method for making the potpourri semi-solid mixture is disclosed. The fragrant potpourri semi-solid mixture includes an aqueous-based liquid to which is added a bittering agent and a coloring agent within a display container. An oil-based fragrance compound including a volatile fragrance oil component is mixed with the aqueous-based liquid, bittering agent, and coloring agent to form a aqueous-based mixture. An absorbent polymer is added to the mixture and the mixture is agitated or stirred to suspend the oil-based fragrance component in a plurality of micro-droplets dispersed throughout the mixture to form an heterogeneous gel mixture. The absorbent polymer absorbs the aqueous-based liquid, bittering agent, and coloring agent to effectively minimize free liquids in the gel mixture. The gel mixture containing the absorbent polymer forms the heterogeneous gel mixture that is mixed with the plurality of micro-droplets containing oil-based fragrance components that are separate from, and not chemically combined with, the aqueous-based component of the absorbent polymer. The gel mixture includes a plurality of air pockets dispersed therein, with the fragrance oil micro-droplets dispersed evenly throughout the gel mixture. The heterogeneous gel mixture is viscous and pourable from one display container to another container at temperatures of about 21.1xc2x0 C. (about 70xc2x0 F.), without heating. To encourage volatilization of the oil-based fragrance components, the heterogeneous gel mixture can be mixed with a non-flammable petroleum solvent that is odorless and combines with the micro-droplets of volatile fragrance oil components to increase the evaporation of the volatile fragrance oil components from the micro-droplets of the gel mixture when exposed to the air by opening of the display container.
Also disclosed is a method of making a potpourri gel for dispensing fragrance to the air from a container, comprising providing an aqueous-based liquid, adding a bittering agent and combining a coloring agent with the aqueous-based liquid to form an aqueous liquid mixture within the container. The method includes adding an oil-based compound having a volatile fragrance component to the aqueous-based liquid mixture. An absorbent polymer is added and the mixture is agitated, with absorbing of the aqueous-based liquid mixture by the absorbent polymer during agitating or stirring. A gel mixture is formed having essentially no free liquids. The method emulsifies the oil-based compound having the volatile fragrance components throughout the gel mixture within a plurality of micro-droplets that are external to, and not chemically combined with, the aqueous-based gel mixture. A plurality of air pockets are distributed throughout the gel mixture during the agitating or stirring operations. The heterogeneous gel mixture can be poured into one or more display containers at room temperatures of about 21.1xc2x0 C. (about 70xc2x0 F.). The oil-based fragrance compound within each micro-droplet in the gel mixture includes volatile fragrance components which are released in a gradual evaporation process when the gel mixture is exposed to the air.